esrosedotblog

As I recall, you were either a fan of The Band or you were not. Dylan's house band had a short career but for many of us, they were special. A new sound. A kind of innocence in the middle of rock dissipation. But then they joined the crowd, got drunk, drugged and ego tainted and that was the end. In good times and bad they lasted 5 years and not much of those were good ones. Two great albums, one not so much. Levon Helm was the drummer and one of the voices, the one most recognizable, their signature. He went his own way and the newish film Ain't in it for My Health (2010) celebrates his later life. He was outlived by his nemesis Robbie Robertson, the member who made all the money from lyric royalties and didn't share. In Helm's version it was a cooperative thing which was not honored. A little bitterness there. Helm was battling cancer of the throat at the time of the film and he died before the film came out. The DVD was delayed until afterward so it just came out in 2012. It is an honest documentary with enough of the good singing times shown and the cantankerous old man Helm had become. I enjoyed it but it was a bit sad and pushed a bit on making him important in ways he might not have been. But it is a fitting memorial and not a bad way to be remembered. A 3 out of Netflix5. Maybe I liked him best because he was the best looking. A sexy dude with an impish smile.

I told a neighbor today that I had put my name in for the HOA board and he said he was thinking of doing the same.A letter said this week that no one had been nominated either by others or even themselves. Both of us felt guilt pangs which turned into interest which turned into enthusiasm. It is just something I had not considered before since I didn't think we had lived here long enough. There is an argument that new people would have a useful perspective but that doesn't convince me. A new person would not understand some important history all the way from the current cash crunch that is going on (they neglected the reserve fund) or the problem of personality clashes that dominated when we first got here. One thing he said was interesting. Apparently none of the incumbents have nominated themselves or are running. That is why there is a problem. No nominees at all. I had just assumed that everyone would be up for re-election. My friend figured that meant we would be a shoo in if we stood for the position, hence his serious thinking about it. He figured if he signed up, like me, he was in. I was surprised to hear this. I have to admit I don't quite understand the process but I do understand that if people don't want to be continued that is it. In the past everyone wanted to stay in office. The present board members must stay until nominees are found or, if one of them resigns out of the box, then the board will appoint someone. Since they said they had not been able to find any volunteers, up to now, that would mean skipping the election, a tedious process I would not mind avoiding. They would simply appoint the new prospect. We shall see. Actually, I have already written my campaign letter so I am good any way it goes. I like the neighbor I talked to. I would enjoy serving with him. It would mean that I know him better than the old people who I do not really know well at all. We laughed about being the "reform slate" together but there is no opposition from the incumbents. That puts the anti-approach down even if I was inclined to use it which I am not. I am just another condo owner. Yup.

Labels: condo, films, HOA